NRCA members donate services to help Ronald McDonald House®

Ronald McDonald House Charities is a nonprofit that welcomes families with a comfortable, friendly place to stay when their children have medical procedures.

NRCA member Ridgeworth Roofing Co., Frankfort, Ill., partnered with NRCA member Bennett & Brosseau Roofing, Romeoville, Ill., in May to donate services to a Ronald McDonald House near Loyola University Medical Center in Hines, Ill.

Ridgeworth Roofing reroofed the house's four-story low-slope roof section, and Bennett & Brosseau Roofing performed the steep-slope roof repairs. Ridgeworth Roofing also performed a skylight restoration that included a cleaning, replacement of edge sealant and a solvent-based silicone coating that resulted in a new weathering surface.

Rod Petrick, president and owner of Ridgeworth Roofing, became involved with the project by being a member—and now president—of The Roofing Industry Alliance for Progress. Through an agreement with Ronald McDonald House Charities, Alliance members will endeavor to inspect, maintain, repair and—whenever possible—replace the roofs on Ronald McDonald houses throughout the U.S. Petrick is the lead person for the Ronald McDonald House project and says more than half the Ronald McDonald houses have been sponsored by contractors willing to donate their work.

"There are 184 Ronald McDonald houses in North America," Petrick says. "Moving forward, I, as the Alliance president, put the challenge to our members that we get all 184 houses sponsored by the next Alliance meeting coming up this November."

Charles Antis, CEO and founder of NRCA member Antis Roofing and Waterproofing, Irvine, Calif., played a crucial role in establishing the Ronald McDonald House Charities initiative and appreciates Petrick's work.

"I love Rod," Antis says. "He's a strong leader; plus, he's got a big heart. He envisions safe and dry Ronald McDonald House rooms available for all families with sick kids across this country. It's an honor to sit with him, strategizing to lift our roofing industry, and all of our communities, coast to coast."

Petrick's desire to give back was ingrained in him by his late father, Robert, Ridgeworth Roofing's original president and owner.

"We have been giving back to nonprofit organizations for years," Petrick says. "Working on the Ronald McDonald House near Loyola was a very good opportunity to put our best foot forward and do something that will, in turn, help other families for many years. They will be able to utilize this facility and don't have to worry about lodging. When our group of men worked on this project, I found out that one of my guys, before he worked for us, utilized a Ronald McDonald House when his child was sick."

Kelly Evans, director of the Ronald McDonald House near Loyola, was thankful for the donated work.

"We are so appreciative of the work that Ridgeworth Roofing did for our House," Evans says. "Thank you for keeping our families safe and dry throughout their stay!"

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